Rolls Royce - Rolls Royce Silver Ghost
By 1906 the cars built by Royce were marketed as Rolls-Royce, with the decision to reduce the range of models made to just one, the 40/50 with six cylinder 7036cc engine, later increased to 7528cc by increasing the crankshaft stroke. The 3 speed gearbox made way to a 4 speed in 1913. The Rolls Royce Silver Ghosts were superlative machines built to exacting standards, running quietly and free from any hint of vibration, helped by the use of the massive diameter of crankshaft center bearing. By the early 1920's the twin plugs were no longer ignited by trembler coil and magneto, but magneto and coil ignition. The Silver Ghost was produced until 1926.
Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost tyre sizes:
- The earlier Rolls Royce Silver Ghost models used beaded edge (clincher) wheel rims which were fitted with tyre size 895x135, and Blockley manufacture the best beaded edge 895x135 available, as well as making a bespoke thick Blockley inner tube for this 895x135 size using the best material butyl, which is not available elsewhere. Any Rolls Royce Silver Ghost originally fitted with beaded edge wheels can now revert back to these 895x135 with full confidence, and if required we can help advise on converting back to beaded edge wheels. The Silver Ghost was listed with the 895x135 tyre size until 1924.
- The later Silver Ghost used the tyre size 33x5, known as Straight Sided type, fitted to 23" wheel rims. This 33x5 tyre size was the direct Straight Sided tyre equivalent to the beaded edge / clincher 895x135. You may read elsewhere with the tyre wholesalers that the tyre size was 21x5 for Ghosts but that is incorrect, being a much smaller tyre on a smaller wheel rim. The later Ghost tyre size was 33x5, and only 33x5. Blockley manufacture this 33x5 tyre size with the exact original tread pattern and other details, precisely as they were in period as well as to the correct taller diameter. Our perfect Blockley 33x5 tyre was made with the assistance of Rolls Royce Silver Ghost historian John Fasal, to a quality that is in a different category to anything else available. These Blockley tyres have the correct larger diameter as the 33x5 was in period, and unlike anything else available today such as tyres branded Goodrich which are too small (irrespective of the dimensions they claim . . .).
Many of the earlier Silver Ghost chassis got fitted subsequently with this 33x5 size, and certainly in more recent years the dire quality and price of the beaded edge tyres accelerated this trend!
Full details of these two Silver Ghost tyre sizes (895x135 and 33x5) can be seen at the links below - nothing made or available elsewhere is this good, and our realistic prices are only because we sell direct.
